


The Meddlers visit

by Tallowwood



Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson
Genre: Gen, Good Parent Joxaren | The Joxter, Joxaren | The Joxter Meets Snusmumriken | Snufkin, My Moominsona 'The Meddler', cat Mumrik bastard, discussions of species, it's been a while since I wrote a story here, just a story, so not great at tagging, the moomins book series and other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-28
Updated: 2019-05-28
Packaged: 2020-03-20 19:49:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18999331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tallowwood/pseuds/Tallowwood
Summary: Just a story amongst all the other stories, about My Moominsona interacting with the characters.The Meddler, your average cat bastard Mumrik.





	The Meddlers visit

Mumrik.

A catlike species of humanoids who as a matter of course wear wide-brimmed, often pointed, hats.

Their life-force is said to be intrinsically linked to travel, never able to settle down in one place for too long without growing restless. 

The level of feline in a Mumriks features increases with age, from birth to early 20s they look human, but through until they reach 40, they will develop catlike traits; such as fur on the arms and legs. Their hands and feet become more paw-like, claws will grow apace with paw-pads; and whiskers will come through alongside catlike eyes.

Lastly, at the age of 15, Mumriks will separate from their parents and set off on their own- at which point the parents will resume their own travels. This is a completely natural instinct, like how birds leave after they’ve learnt to fly.

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On a misty road by the sea, Snufkin trudged north towards Moominvalley as he did whenever spring approached. 

However, as he came upon a curve in the trail, something new caught his eye.

Eyebrows quirked, he advanced- noting the remains of a campfire under a tree.

“Excuse me, is anyone here?” 

A shuffling was his only response- leading him to look up and meet two glowing eyes, slit pupils constricted against the morning light.

“Yes?” a low feminine voice, smooth and with a presence behind it, that of which would cause anybody to stop and pay attention.

“Hello, I was just wondering why there was a fire?” Snufkin explained, leaning back to get a better look up the tree- only to fall back as she swung down.

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The Meddler blinked slowly at the younger Mumrik, properly lowering herself from the tree as she held onto her hat “well, it was mine.”

She reached out a paw for the small one, which he took hesitantly “I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone like you before, would it be rude of me to ask what you are?”

The Meddler could feel her tail puff up with her surprise before sadness settled in her lungs “oh… an orphan?”

He looked bewildered “what does that have to do with anything?”

The Meddler turned and began walking along the road, deciding to drop the subject, for now, enjoying the quiet crash of waves below the cliff sides.

The sound of footsteps alerted her that the young one was following, and she allowed herself a small smile.

“So small one, where are you heading on this fine near-spring morning?”

“My name’s Snufkin, and I’m heading for Moominvalley," the one in green- Snufkin- replied.

Meddler closed one eye in interest, in lieu of raising an eyebrow “Moominvalley? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of it. Though I know of the Moomin species.”

“Well, it’s a lovely valley full of winding paths and a Moominhouse of blue paint” Snufkin praised, obviously excited to reach it.

“Yes, most Moominhouses are blue,” she hummed, noting a steep incline up ahead “never quite understood why. Just the Moomin way, I suppose.”

The Snufkin looked at her curiously “you enjoy knowing things about creatures.”

Meddler raised her head a little higher “I find it interesting to know how things work, how instincts and tradition affect judgment and how everything reacts differently.”

“though I also understand the concept of free will, so I do not expect a lion to eat a zebra if it is not hungry.”

“Wise” Snufkin told her, to which she hummed a thanks as they climbed the rise in the path.

They travelled quietly for the rest of the journey until they reached the edge of a forest Snufkin told her he knew well.

“It is the way I travel into Moominvalley; do you wish to come?”

The Meddler shrugged and followed his lead into the forest scattered with melting piles of snow, keeping her tail high to avoid catching any of the cold powder in her fur.

The smaller Mumrik then pulled out a harmonica and began to play a pleasant little song for the road. 

Meddler though a moment, before asking “’ All Small Beasts Should Have Bows in Their Tails’? A nice choice, though I always think the title to be too long.”

Nevertheless, after a while, she brought out her tin whistle to play along with him.

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The Meddlers ear twitched “I think I heard someone calling your name, Snufkin.”

The little one seemed to brighten considerably beside her “it must be Moomintroll!”

Again, she closed an eye in interest, smiling slightly as he hurried ahead of her down the trail.

He disappeared around a bend, and when she followed, the edge of the forest greeted her, leading into a sunny valley.

“Marvellous” she stated, heading for a bridge Snufkin was greeting a young Moomin on; by the size comparison between the two she could guess that Snufkin was still quite young indeed- young enough to lack any fur at all, but old enough to have more hair than on his head.

Meddler made an expression of distaste, sometimes she felt a little too inclined to study things scientifically. 

Wiping the thought from her mind, she concluded he was most likely around 19 and moved up to stand behind the two.

“Oh? Who’s this, Snufkin?” Moomintroll, as the small one had called him, asked; looking up at The Meddler in awe.

“Uh-”

“I’m The Meddler, small one. It’s nice to meet you, I don’t meet many Moomins in my travels” she cut in, saving Snufkin from having to answer something he hadn’t been told till now.

The little trolls tail began wagging “Oh? You travel, too?”

“But of course! I’m a Mumrik," she said, pausing to look down at herself “though I am tall for my species, I think I must have had some Fillyjonk ancestry.”

“Huh, cool” Moomintroll responded, not very interested as The Meddler knew he wouldn’t be “anyway, come on. Mama’s made jam!”

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“This is brilliant, Moominmama. You got the recipe from your mother?” 

“Oh yes, she left me with quite the cookbook” the older Moomin smiled at Meddler, reminding her of the mother she had, likely far across the sea with greys in her fur by now.

“So, Meddler, what is a Mumrik? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of them" Moomintroll piped up, eating the last of his jam toast for lunch.

She smiled softly, tilting her head “well, that’s unusual, especially when there’s one sitting right next to you.”

Moomintroll looked left, where no one was sitting beside him, before jolting and turning to face Snufkin on his right.

Of course, the one in green was looking just as alarmed as the young troll, looking over to the Meddler in bewilderment “but we look nothing alike?”

“Not yet, anyway” she replied, an amused smile pulling at her mouth.

**Author's Note:**

> you can find pictures of The Meddler on my Tumblr, #The Meddler: https://tallowport.tumblr.com/


End file.
